Ask an Expert: What to Do When Your Revenue Is Significantly Slashed, According to a CEO
We’ve been spending a lot of time at Create & Cultivate HQ discussing how we can best show up for and support our community during this uncertain time. Community is at our core, and connecting with others through one-of-a-kind experiences is what we love to do. While the world has changed, our mission has not. We’re committed to helping women create and cultivate the career of their dreams, which is why we’re proud to announce our new Ask an Expert series. We’re hosting discussions with experts, mentors, and influencers daily at 9 am, 12 pm, and 3 pm PST on Instagram Live to cure your craving for community and bring you the expert advice you’ve come to know and love from C&C. Follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram, check out our Ask an Expert highlight reel for the latest schedule, and hit the countdown to get a reminder so you don’t miss out!
In this edition of our Ask an Expert series, Dr. Heather D. Rogers, the founder and CEO of Doctor Rogers RESTORE, joined us on Instagram Live to chat about everything from how to keep your business alive to how to get your best at-home skin.
For the uninitiated, Dr. Rogers is a dermatologist and CEO who is managing both her practice and her business in the midst of this crisis. She is seeing patients, hand packing orders, and wearing more hats than ever before—all while giving up her salary.
Scroll on for some highlights from the conversation—including why you should focus on your mission—and follow Create & Cultivate on Instagram to tune into the next one.
Your Brand Pillars Matter
“Being a brand right now, you really have to have very clear ideas of what your pillars are. Don’t start a company unless you can say why you are different and what you bring to the marketplace in three sentences. If you’re trying to bring something better to market and help people, that is something there is always space for.”
Less Is More When It Comes to At-Home Skincare
“When you’re at home, don’t overdo your skincare. Don’t do 15 masks a week, don’t over-exfoliate. Make sure you wash your face, moisturize your face, and wear sunscreen.”
“You should wear sunscreen even if you don’t go outside. When you’re inside, if you’re by a window, you will get UVA, which will break down collagen and give you brown spots—I always recommend a zinc-based sunscreen.”
“When your skin is agitated, less is more.”
Give and Get Support (We All Need It)
“I haven’t taken a paycheck since February, its more important to me to think about the company long term.”
“The really big banks are not going to help you here, you need to find the small banks that you can build a relationship with who will really go to bat for you.”
“We started a campaign called Help the Healers to give our products to healthcare workers. It feels good for us to do it, it helps the healthcare workers, and its also creating content.”
“I’ve been working really hard to be responsive to needs without being reactive because everyone needs a little more help right now. You need to thank your staff every day and recognize what they are doing every day.”